WordPress Theme Design – Tessa Blakeley Silver
PacktPublishing
Price 35.99 USD (ebook $27.19)
I bought a book recently after seeing it mentioned in the WP dashboard news items, it’s called WordPress Theme Design by Tessa Blakeley Silver and although a lot of the information regarding the functions of wordpress can be found at the codex, the book gives you so much more like the process gone through to design a theme from scratch.
I do quite a lot of sites in wordpress now and find it much easier to provide a client with a website that can be updated so easily, a few plugins here and there and you can provide a website that does all and more that’s needed.
Usually I get a standard theme and cut it up a bit and change the css to give me my site, or create in photoshop and send off for wordpressing but lately due to some more custom design requests I’ve received and the always dependable mistakes that freelancers can make I have wanted to do the whole thing myself from scratch..
I’ve downloaded a tutorial before about WP theme design from small potato before it was taken over and that was pretty darn useful but was made a little while ago so it wasn’t 2.5 specific.
That’s why I like what Tessa has put her book, it takes you step by step through the process of creating a non-blog wordpress blog, from sketch to WP core code. It’s made a big difference to my initial prototyping of concept sites and has really opened my eyes to what you can do with a bit of manipulation of the wordpress template tags. I’m even working on a magazine style front page for here so I can have a featured post for contests that stays up while it’s open for entries as well as excerpts to the regular posts..
You can buy the book printed or get it as pdf for a bit cheaper (I printed mine out from pdf on someone elses printer lol!) at packet publishing
Packtpublishing is sending me a new book about WordPress For Business Bloggers , they’re offering a deal if you get both books together. Stay tuned for the review of the new book!
A very useful and well written post. Thank you. I think that I shall get it as a pdf.
Nicole Prices last blog post..Fashion Industry: Who’s The Most Influential and Powerful
This is fantastic, I must get a copy. I have been wanting to learn how to build wp themes from scratch so great tip!
I’m not really ready for that yet because I’m just learning php. I know html and xhtml fairly well so I decided that php was the next logical choice. I’ve messed around with a little python and java, but am still just a beginner! I want a free pdf version…haha!
nicole: hope you enjoy it, I did
wiifunfit:
bobby: actually, this book presents in a way so that you don’t need to know php. I think you’d enjoy it!
You can never have enough wordpress books. WP is the typewriter of the 20th century.
Correction: 21st century.
CVOS the mans last blog post..Making A Run For President
Is this targeting technical newbies? That be me lol.
Dennis Edells last blog post..7 Turbo Writing Tips
Dennis: You don’t really need to know any php for this, it gives you all the code to use for the case study in the book so I’d give it a go if I were you!
Thanks Andy!
Dennis Edells last blog post..7 Turbo Writing Tips
Great, i think i buy this book to i used to build my sites from scratch till i discovered wordpress now im just trying and adjusting themes but they are never like you want them to be!
Oh great, another book to add to my collection. Thanks for mentioning it. I’ve been looking for something like this. I’ll definitely purchase it thanks for the writeup.
Opal @ Vegan Mommas last blog post..Hanging with Aiyana; Carnival fun
Thanks Andy for very useful article . i will get this copy
i am looking for good tutorials for creating cool wordpress themes for my blogs
it will be very helpful for me since with this book we don’t even need to know php
I have read the book through once cover to cover and now I’m going through it in front of the pc, it’s pretty darn good!
Thanks for the book tip. I’ve been thinking about getting into WP theme development but haven’t taken the plunge up to now. I am currently using the Semiologic Pro theme/system so it’s not very easy to change themes but maybe this book will give me the tools to at least tweak the theme myself.
Louises last blog post..Red Lobster Recipes: Shrimp Scampi
thanks Andy, I need wp theme desing for my new blog. it will be very helpful for me
gadiss last blog post..Miss Indonesia Universe 2008
i think i must have it. how the cost of that book? is it free?
I too have been creating more and more websites as of late using the WordPress format. I have very little coding knowledge though… would a novice like myself be able to use this book? I’d like to try making my own WP themes…
This is great to create our own wp theme as it can give backlink to our site from the wp layout. I will get this!
Belajars last blog post..Belajar |Learn SEO
a great book… a big help for a wp beginner users. I should have one. nice post! Thanks!
Pingback: Top Respect to Commenters and Sponsors - May
Oh man i remember the first time I tried to make a wordpress theme, it took me all day just to figure out that the wordpress loop header.php and footer.php arrangement could not be changed. I of course tried to cram it all into one php file (im a freakin noob) anyway that was a long time ago haha but only if I had this book…..
Thanks Andy for very useful article…Good luck!..
OK now yer just messin with us…..why did I get this feed again?
Oh and not to burst any bubbles, but the snow flakes are really annoying. LOL
Dennis Edell´s last blog post..2 NEW BLOGS Unveiled! FINALLY!!
yeah, it’s a repeat. I wanted to try out some things with keywords.
what was the other thing? “bah humbug” was it? hehehe all the way down here in the comments you can’t see them
sound a good book about design wordpress themes. what is the price of this book? thank you
Zyva´s last blog post..Name, rank and Social Security number (SSN)
Yes… likely a good book for design of wp themes.
Good review…
Hafif´s last blog post..Another Funny Political Video
Looks like a useful resource for theme designers. Its a task to keep up with the frequent upgrades of wp, lol.
ShriNagesh´s last blog post..30 Tools For Cross-platform microblogging And Social Media Sync
Now I know what to give my brother (our technical guy) for Christmas! Thanks! This sounds like a very useful book. He will love coming up with WordPress themes of his own.
Rika Susan’s Home DIY´s last blog post..Hunter Douglas Window Treatments Offer Sheer Style In Silhouette Blinds
Sounds very interesting. I think i’ll give it a try.
Ray Johnson | Make money on the internet´s last blog post..Back 2 Basics: Let’s Build Your Business Starting Now (Stage 4)
Thanks Andy great post!! 5/5
Software Mouse´s last blog post..The Best Movie Player VLC
Thanks for the review Andy, I’ll have to take a look.
Talking of magazine themes, I’ve been playing with the Branford Magazine them recently, and liking it. Seems well-designed and very customisable. I’m trying to standardise as I have several sites to build for clients and it’ll be much easier if I use the same underlying theme for all of them!
Cheers, Jon
Jon´s last blog post..New Product – Recession Proof Salon Marketing
Thanks for the recommendation, I just bough the pdf version and I’m reading through it right now. So far so good
.
Money whiz´s last blog post..Make Money With WordPress Themes
This book is really helpful.
http://www.womensboots.com
Design has been the most significant thing as long as visitor attraction to the website is concerned. This book is helpful in creating classy designs with little effort whatsoever.
Good stuff! — I have been doing it like you, taking some default theme apart and re-designing it (without knowing php)
Getting this book seems like a good idea, thanx for the heads-up. Hope I’ll get around to actually reading it…
Ben @ dBusinessOpportunity´s last blog post..I am Looking for a good home based business opportunity that doesnt require a large out of pocket expense?
Very interesting post! I’ll keep an eye on your blog
Thanks a lot for mentioning….
Dr.Kameleon
Free Templates 4U´s last blog post..Copyblogger
Thanks for sharing. Will check out the pdf version of the wp book.
Kahuna´s last blog post..Is it Possible to Earn Money from Blogging?
I love wordpress, but my theme has been driving me nuts lately. I mean, I love it, but there are things about it I want to change. I’m totally going to look into that book to see if it will help me out. Thanks for the tip!
All right Andi i got yours point..i bought this book two months ago..excited!
we would like to thanks WordPress..esp.Matt
Ardhindie´s last blog post..Long Beach Grand Prix 2009